In 2764 the Texas-class battleship SLS William Halsey was one of the WarShips serving in the Thirty-second Pursuit Squadron within the Star League Defense ForceThird Fleet. Like the other vessels of the Thirty-second - also known as "The Battle of Surigao Strait Squadron" - the William Halsey was based out of the shipyards above New Rhodes III; the shipyards were of such importance to the operations of the Third Fleet that either the William Halsey or the Black Lion-class battlecruiser SLS Port Hope were constantly stationed on guard over the shipyards.[1]